Automatic feed for sheet-metal can-heads.



0. W. GRAHAM. AUTOMATIC FEED FOB SHEET METAL (JAN HEADS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 12, 1912.

1,126,194." Patented Jan.26,1915.

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UGMF- or H'U-NTHTGitON, new sortie, assrenoia ro armament can new roan, N. a coiaro'narion or New chaser.

AUTUMATIO FEED FOR SHEET-METAL CAN-HEEADS.

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Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Jan. as, tats.

Application filed August 12,1912. Serial No. 71 l,492.

T all whom it may concern Be 1t known that 1, CHARLES HAM, a citizen of the United States, rwiding Feeds for Sheet-Metal CairHeads, of which i the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic feed device for a stackof nested sheet metal can heads and the invention consists in the novel devices and combinations of parts and devices more fully hereinafter set forth and made the subject matter of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved automatic sheet metal can end feed; Fig. 2 is a similar section showing a can end in the act of being delivered from the feed; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the feed mechanism taken at right angles to the sections indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The mechanism of the present invention is designed to handle the stack of sheet metal, nested can ends and to deliver them one at a time to the tops of cans. The mechanism comprises an open bottomed stack carrier provided at two diametrically opposite sides, with a pair of rotating shafts each carrying at its lower part, a mutilated rotating disk, that acts to support the can ends in the stack to'separate the lowermost one from the stack and to force said lowermost one out of the device, through holding devices. The holding devices or retaining members are arranged also at opposite sides of the stack carrier and each consists of a rounded projection held yieldingly in the path of the can ends below the open bottom of the carrier, and acting to retain said can ends until'they are pushed down clear of the grasp. The mutilated separating disks are made flat on top, to support the can ends during a part of their revolution, and each is provided with a sharp edge or point adapted to enter above the lowermost one of the can ends in the stack to causea separation of the nested ends, said disks being mutilated for a part of their circumference to permit the ends to pass by. From the sharp edges, the thickness of the disks is gradually increased, so

that the disks thus act to force the can ends which down past the yielding retainers and discharge them] In the said drawing, A is the tubular stack carrier.

B, B are the vertical shafts placed at opposite sides of the stack carrier, and having each one at its lower extremity, a separatmg and supporting disk C, said disk being made with a sharp edge D, a thick part 1) and a fiat riding surface D At right angles to the position of the shafts B are the yielding holders E, E, having the rounded proectlons E. A yielding character is given to these holders by the springs F, F.

G, G are the sheet metal can ends, which may be of the nesting variety, and are arranged in a. stack within the tubular carrier.

The operation is as follows: A stack of the sheet. metal can ends is placed in the tubular carrier, the lowermost can end resting upon the flat surfaces of the rotatable disks, C, C. When the machine is started and'the disks C, C, are rotated by means of suitable gearing, the operation is as follows: The-supporting disks revolve until the'i nutil ated parts are presented to the can ends, whereupon the stack of can ends falls down until the lowermost one encounters the retaining projections E which arrest farther descent of the stack. The disks continuing to revolve, the sharp edges are caused to enter above the lowermost can end of the stack and to wedge it gradually downward away from the rest of the stack and against the yielding resistance of the holders until it is clear of the latter and delivered to the point desired. This operation is repeated at each revolution of the feeding disks until the stack of cans is completely fed: The action, it will be noted, is entirely automatic, and the can ends are delivered with certainty and precision, and separated from each other by force thus preventing the ends from sticking together.

I claim:'

1. In a device for feeding articles, an article holder adapted to hold articles in a nested position, rotary separating, supporting and ejecting devices located at approximately diametrically opposite points adjacent to said article holder, movable retaining devices located at approximately diametrically opposite points adiacent to said article holder, said retaining devices being positioned to allow the articles in the holder Mind ' to rest at a predetermined distance in advance of the supporting surface of the rotary separating devices" to thus permit the separating device to enter between one or more articles and eject same from said holder. r I

2. In a device for feeding articles, an

I article holder adapted to hold articles in a nested position, means for separating an article from the stack of nested articles, movable retaining devices normally holding the nested articles Within the article holder;

said retaining devices being movable to release articles from said holder by contact of an article being moved by the said separat- 'mg'means.

.3. In a device for feeding articles, an

r article holder adapted to hold articles in a stack, rotary separating, supporting and I ejecting devices, and movable retaining devices, the ejecting devices and retaining devices being adapted to alternately support the stack of nested articles, and the ejecting devices having portions thereof arranged to enter between the lowermost article of the stack and the remainder of the stack to p'ositively'separate it from the'stack and force it past the retaining devices, substantially as specified;

4. In a .device for feeding articles, a holder adapted to hold a stack of nested articles, two rotary devices positioned adjacent said holder andon opposite sides thereof havingportions thereof adapted to i enter the holder, said portions h'avingplain supporting surfaces and inclined bottom surfaces, each of said devices having a peripheral cut-outportion adapted to permit the stack of articles to movepast the same when said portions are turned upward toward each other, and retaining devices which are caused to be displaced to release an article by the action of the inclined bot' tom surfaces of the said rotary devices; substantially as specified.

In a separating and feeding device of the character described, in combination: a magazine adapted to holda stack of articles; yieldable means adapted to support a stack of articles Within the magazine: and devices,

held members at the bottom of said stack.

and normally in the path thereof and adapted to support the stack; and rotatable disks located above said members, each of said disks having a cut-out portion on its periphery and a Wedge acting flange adapted to cut-out the lowermost article of the stack and force the same past said members, sub stantially as specified.

CHARLES W. GRAHAM. Witnesses 2 ,W. D. Fos'rma, IWALTER HENRY. 

